Washington, D.C. August 18, 1944
Dear Bess:
I succeeded in getting Mr. Canfil out of town this morning. He had a grand time while he was here. Made all the girls, including the new one, very angry--and then fed 'em sundaes and soft drinks until they were not as angry as they wanted to be. He tried to horn in on the committee, but it was too late. Nevertheless he did some good while he was here. The Justice Department called me and told me that he had done more as U.S. marshall for the good of the service than any other marshal they had. For a wonder he'd read all their regulations and told 'em (as he always does) in words of one syllable, with expletives, where said regulations conflicted. He'd cleaned out all the jails in his bailiwick where there had been prisoners unlawfully held, and he had been instrumental in preventing the sentencing of ignorant draft dodgers where they were willing to join up and serve. So in spite of his blustering his heart is in the right place. He makes me madder than I can express it sometimes, but if I wanted the Federal Building moved in spite of opposition I'd have him undertake it. And he'd do the job or bust a hamstring. But he's gone home and is bringing the Central American suitcase to trade you for a loan of the Hunter Allen-Marino Phelps Gladstone bag. Let him have it.
As you know he's given me the reveille clock, a grand, wool blanket, and some other things, so if he keeps the bag, I'll still be in his debt and I can't forget 1940.
Wish you'd been here for the White House luncheon today. I went down to the Mayflower and had a meeting with Hannegan, Pauley, and Paul Porter. Got there at 11:00 A.M. At twelve-thirty I started to walk over to the White House, which is only four and a half blocks. Met Louis Johnson in front of Harvey's and talked to him about five minutes. Arrived at the front gate of the White House on time and was told to go to the office. I was first supposed to be there at one o'clock but they called and said the President wanted to see me fifteen minutes before one. I was there at 12:45, but old man Hull was with him and one o'clock would have fitted in with me. Hull was trying to get the British and Russian envoys to the coming conference in to see the President tomorrow afternoon. But--the Russians were delayed at Nome and the President finally said that if all of 'em, Russian, British, et al., were not at his office by nine-fifteen Saturday evening, they need not come because he was leaving for Hyde Park at ten-fifteen and they'd have to wait until he came back.
I went in at about five to one and you'd have thought I was the long lost brother or the returned Prodigal. I told him how I appreciated his putting the finger on me for Vice President and we talked about the campaign, reconversion, China, postwar employment, the George and Kilgore Bills.
Then lunch was announced and we went out into the back yard of the White House under an oak tree planted by old Andy Jackson, and the movie men and then the flashlight boys went to work. He finally got hungry and ran 'em out. Then his daughter, Mrs. Boettiger, acted as hostess and expressed a lot of regret that you were not there. I told the President that you were in Missouri attending to my business there, and he said that was O.K. He gave me a lot of hooey about what I could do to help the campaign and said he thought I ought to go home for an official notification and then go to Detroit for a labor speech and make no more engagements until we had had another conference. So that's what I'm going to do. Hope to get things in shape here so I can start home Sunday evening. Maybe I can do it tomorrow evening. If that happens, I'll be at home Sunday at six o'clock.
I went back to the Mayflower and had a conference with Bob Hannegan and Pauley. Bob's to see the President tomorrow. I've got to wait and see what's done by those two. Pauley told me that all my expenses of whatever nature would be paid by the national committee and that he wanted me to take Hugh Fulton and Matt Connelly wherever I went and not to hesitate on the cost! I guess I've really arrived. Mr. Porter came to my press conference in the office at 4:00 p.m. and I heard him tell Bob and Pauley that I needed no guardian because all the press boys liked me and that no one in his recollection handled them better. He didn't know I heard him.
Well this is strung out too much. But the President told me that Mrs. R. was a very timid woman and wouldn't go to political meetings or make any speeches when he first ran for governor of N.Y. Then he said, "Now she talks all the time." What am I to think?
Kiss Margie, lots and lots of love to you, Harry